


Repairing

by aye_of_newt



Series: Vague AU [4]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: (or starts to), Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Luther redeems himself, Past Drug Use, Vague AU, a couple swears, other than that it's pretty much just fluffy sibling bonding, the healing power of ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT OUR FEELINGS, the others are there at the end too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2020-01-04 21:48:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18352367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aye_of_newt/pseuds/aye_of_newt
Summary: After seeing the interaction between John and Klaus, Luther realizes how unfair he has been and begins to make amends.Takes place immediately afterRevolving, Evolving





	Repairing

**Author's Note:**

> Reminder:  
> The Vague AU follows canon except:  
> 1) Vanya doesn't destroy the house and  
> 2) they save the world without becoming kids.  
> \+ additional backstory as I add it
> 
> This story takes place immediately after [Revolving, Evolving](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17902049/chapters/42262598). It might be a little confusing if you haven't read that fic first. 
> 
> Ben is more absent than I normally make him because I figured that with him being able to become corporeal and interact with more people, he wouldn't have such a need to be present with Klaus all of the time. (AKA I was so focused on Klaus and Luther in this story that I forgot to write him and that's my justification so deal with it)

Turning away from John, Klaus walked back to Luther, who was staring a Klaus with a mixture of confusion and concern. “Come on,” Klaus said in forced carelessness, pointedly not looking at Luther as he waited for his eyes to stop watering. “I’m holding you to that promise. We need to get to Kelly’s before they run out of the good flavors.”

Luther opened his mouth before closing it again, saying nothing as he began to follow Klaus, who hadn’t stopped and was now a few feet past where Luther was still standing. He caught up in less than two steps, not noticing how the crowd parted around him as he watched Klaus searchingly. At the corner, Klaus paused to turn back over his shoulder, waving goodbye. Following his gaze, Luther caught sight of John, still standing where they had left him, staring at Klaus like he was a miracle.

“Come on,” Klaus muttered, as he turned the corner, continuing, “Your legs are literally twice as long as mine, there’s no reason for you to fall behind.”

Glance back once more, Luther saw John turn away too. Shaking his head slightly, Luther followed his brother, still silent as he processed what had just happened. After the year he’d had, Luther had begun to think that nothing would be able to catch him off guard again, but apparently one never gets used to having their world view turned on its head in a matter of minutes.

Lost in the confusion of new information and how it reversed the truths he had always accepted, Luther said nothing for the entire six blocks they walked, paying even less attention than usual as Klaus chattered on about something. He was pulled out of his head when Klaus asked, in the exasperated tone of someone who had already repeated themselves several times, “ _LUTHER_. Are you coming in or not?”

“Uh, yeah,” Luther caught up, taking the door from Klaus as he ducked into the store. “Sorry.”

“And you say _I’m_ spacy,” Klaus joked lightly, rolling his eyes. He wandered over to the display cases, leaning down so far his nose almost touched the glass as he considered what flavor he wanted to get.

Luther watched him, and felt an odd ache in his chest. His brother’s excitement seemed so genuine as he asked the girl behind the counter for a sample, his eyes lighting up as he tried it. Usually, Luther would find this type of display to be immature and annoying. Today, he saw it as childlike, and bitterly innocent for all the ways in which Klaus’ real childhood had been stolen.

As Klaus sampled a second ice cream enthusiastically, Luther could almost hear his own voice telling Klaus to knock it off, and he felt a twinge of regret. Even with all the apologies and discussions and amends that had taken place over the past year, somehow Luther had never gotten around to talking to Klaus about how hard he had been on him.

“Yeah, I’m definitely going for that one,” Klaus told the ice cream girl, grinning.

“What size scoop?”

Klaus started to respond before cutting himself off. He looked at Luther guiltily and said, “Single. In a sugar cone, please.”

“Make that a waffle cone,” Luther corrected.

The ice cream girl’s hand paused in midair as she reached for the sugar cone. She looked at Klaus for his verification.

Klaus stared at Luther in surprise for a beat before delight began to creep across his face. “Really?”

“Go for it.”

“Waffle cone, please,” he told the girl, beaming. “The one with the sprinkles.”

She loaded the cone with what had to be at least a pint of ice cream and Luther caught himself before he made a comment on the ridiculousness of it, wincing internally at how he’d nearly broken his resolve to start being nicer to Klaus after only two minutes.

“Thank you, Luther,” Klaus said so genuinely that Luther immediately felt even worse.

“What can I get for you?” the girl asked Luther as she handed Klaus his cone.  

“Oh, um, nothing. But thanks. How much?” Luther reached for his wallet.

“Oh come on, Luther.” Klaus nagged cheerfully. “You can’t come in here and not get _something.”_ Luther looked at him, Klaus had already started eating his cone and had ice cream on his nose.

“I’m fine,” he tried but Klaus shook his head in mock chiding.

“Come on, live a little. You have to get yourself something, Luther,” he insisted. “I’m going to feel bad if I’m eating this amazing cone in front of you and you don’t have anything,” He blinked at Luther with exaggerated puppy dog eyes.  “Do it for me?” he pleaded, an obvious note of humor in his voice.

Despite knowing that Klaus was kidding, Luther was done in by that request. “Ok,” he agreed.

 

“I can’t believe you got _vanilla,_ ” Klaus said, shaking his head as they stepped out into the afternoon sun. “No, wait, actually I can.” He grinned, nudging Luther’s arm, who only noticed because he was still watching Klaus closely. The touch had been too light to feel and Luther became distracted for a minute wondering if that was because he was too big or because Klaus was too small. He’d definitely gained weight over the past year, looking far healthier now than he had since they were practically kids, but he was still very slight.

 _Fragile,_ Luther’s mind supplied. He felt a flash of fear for his brother, thinking of both the danger that could lie in the future, and with a sinking realization, what might have happened in the past when Luther wasn’t there. _And when I was there,_ Luther realized, remembering the sparring match that had ended in Klaus’ arm dangling at an unnatural angle and feeling slightly sick.

He must have noticed Luther’s intensive stare, because Klaus turned to look at him, raising his eyebrows questioningly.  

Luther quickly looked down at his single scoop of vanilla ice cream, the paper dish almost comically small in his hand. It was beginning to melt, turning to a slightly sad puddle.

“Ok, so obviously you’re not going to be the one to start,” Klaus said, sounding somewhat exasperated. “What is it with you? You’ve been staring at me with a really weird expression ever since we ran into John. It’s not like its news that I was a junkie or went to rehab, so I don’t know what your issue is.”

Luther took a bite to avoid answering, and then another because he’d forgotten how good ice cream was.

“Luther?” Klaus was looking at him expectantly. “Come on, Vanya says we’re supposed to be talking about our feelings. Or at least that’s what she says her therapist says.”

Luther wasn’t sure where to start to make twenty-some years of apologies and couldn’t ask any of the questions he’s afraid to, not while walking through a park on an unusually warm fall day, when Klaus was so happy over something so tiny as an ice cream cone. So instead he asked, “You’ve been clean for a year?”

Surprise registered on Klaus’ face for a moment before his expression fell. “Um, yeah? I _told_ you guys I’m clean.” Klaus looked hurt and Luther cursed internally that he’d already messed up.

“I know you did, I just,” Luther stopped, unsure of how to phrase it without hurting Klaus more. “I just didn’t realize how long it had been,” he finally settled on, hoping that it was true enough, while still vague enough, that Klaus wouldn’t realize what he meant was, _I assumed you’d relapsed at least a couple times._

Unfortunately, Klaus seemed to realize exactly what Luther hadn’t said. “Well, it _has_ been that long,” he said stiffly, looking away.

Luther flinched. _Shit._ For the first time he could remember in a fight with Klaus, there wasn’t anything Luther could think of to say to excuse himself. After a long, tense moment, he finally ventured.

“Klaus—”

“Yeah?” he snapped.

“I’m proud of you.”

Klaus actually stopped walking. He blinked and stared at Luther, not seeming to notice as melting ice cream dripped down his hand. “What?”

“I’m proud of you, Klaus,” Luther repeated, a little more firmly. At Klaus’ blank stare, he sighed. He gently guided him out of the middle of the walkway where Klaus stood rooted in place, and towards a bench a few feet away. Luther sat down, pulling Klaus with him.

“I know, well I don’t _actually_ know, but I intellectually know, that recovering from addiction it hard.” Klaus was still staring and Luther continued, feeling more awkward than he did trying to talk to women. “It must have been a lot of work to stay clean as long as you have, especially with your powers and everything that’s been going on. The past year has probably been one of the hardest our family has ever been through, and you handled recovery on top of that. That’s,” Luther grasped for the right word, “incredible.”

Klaus’ eyes looked rather watery and Luther quickly continued, “You told that John guy that you were able to stay clean because of your family,” he glanced guiltily at Klaus, “but I doubt I was part of that. I _know_ I haven’t been a part of that. We agreed that we were going to fix our family, stop doing all that destructive shit Dad drilled into us. I said I was in, but I’m realizing I wasn’t walking the walk. I’ve apologized to Vanya, and Allison, and even Diego, but I haven’t said I’m sorry to you, Klaus. And I am. Sorry, I mean. For everything that happened in the past, and for not actually being there for you this year like I promised I would be.”

Klaus was definitely crying as Luther finished speaking and he felt failure turn his stomach. Even when Luther was trying to fix things with Klaus, he managed to hurt him. He was about to apologize again when Luther was cut off by Klaus throwing his arms around him. For a split second Luther thought Klaus was doing a terrible job of attacking him, before he realized that he was being hugged. Frozen in shock and unable to remember the last time that had happened, it took a minute for Luther to respond. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around Klaus, fearful of squeezing too hard and breaking him.

“Thank you, Luther,” he said quietly, drawing back. Klaus went to wipe his eyes and realized what a mess his hands were. “Oh, shit,” he said, looking guilty, “I probably just got ice cream all over you.” He stood quickly, tossing the last couple few inches of his ruined cone in the garbage bin, and trying in vain to flick the sticky mess off of his hands before giving up and sitting back down on the bench.

“It’s okay,” Luther told him, and actually meant it.

Klaus looked at him for a moment, his expression between affection and consideration. “See,” he said, smiling softly, “you have changed, Luther.”

Luther winced. “It just shows how shitty I was that you can be so happy with such a pathetic thing. And I’m only doing this now because I feel guilty,” he admitted.

Klaus didn’t look bothered. “Feeling guilty is a sign of growth too. No one’s perfect all the time, but people with healthy relationships apologize when they mess up,”  He looked away, “In NA they call it ‘making amends’,” he added. Klaus took a breath. “I’m sorry too. I messed up a lot of stuff, and I wasn’t really there when you needed help either. You’re not the only one at fault.”

“But you were there when I needed you,” Luther said quietly, shameful as he realized the truth of that statement for the first time, “When I found out about why Dad sent me to the moon. You tracked me down and made sure I was safe, you followed me into what had to be hell for you, and stayed clean. If that’s not making amends and taking responsibility and hell, just being a good brother, I don’t know what is.”

Klaus couldn’t quite look at him as he nodded roughly. “Thank you, Luther.”

“You don’t have to say thank you,” Luther told him quietly.

“You know,” Klaus started, “I used to have people tell me all the time that to stay clean you have to have a reason, and for a long time I didn’t have one. But in the rave that night, I did. I’m not going to lie, it was hard, and I definitely almost messed it up, but in the end my reason actually did win out. And everyone, including you, has continued to give me reasons every day for this past year. That’s how I’ve stayed clean.”

Luther felt his eyes prickle.

“Well that and like, actual therapy and addiction meetings and shit,” Klaus joked. It wasn’t that funny, but Luther took the excuse to laugh and Klaus winked at him. An easy quiet fell between them for a few minutes as the watched the people around them, who continued on with their lives, not seeming to notice the revolution of healing that was going on just feet away.

“Oh shit,” Klaus said, checking the time on his phone. “We’ve been gone for like four hours. Vanya texted me twice.” He hurriedly began typing a response as Luther pulled out his own phone, grimacing guiltily at the messages from Allison.

“We should be getting back,” he said, more regretfully than he’d imagined he would be that morning when the two of them were unexpectedly thrown together. It was supposed to have been a group lunch with everyone, but unexpected plans had pulled the other four away. It was only with prompting from Vanya that Klaus and Luther had gone together at all, and Luther made a mental note to pick up a box of those chocolates that Vanya liked so much.

“Yeah,” Klaus agreed, frowning at his sticky hand.

“We can stop somewhere with a bathroom first,” Luther offered, laughing a little.

“This is all your fault,” Klaus told him in mock seriousness. “You caused me to ruin what was left of a perfectly good ice cream cone.”

“I’ll buy you a replacement tomorrow,” Luther offered, keeping his tone light, but feeling slightly apprehensive as he waited for the response.

Klaus looked surprised for a minute before he grinned, “I’m going to hold you to that.”

***

“Hey, Klaus?” Luther said as they stood on the crowded train heading back to the Academy, Klaus hanging onto Luther’s jacket instead of a hand strap.

“Yeah?”

“I’m really glad that you had John there when we weren’t.”

Klaus was quiet for a minute before whispering, “Me too.”

Luther wanted to ask more about John and the time he had missed, but the subway wasn’t the place for that conversation. Instead, he asked, “Klaus?”

“Hmm?”

“Does anyone else know it’s been a year?”

Klaus looked away. “I haven’t told anyone that.”

 _So no,_ Luther realized sadly.

“See?” Klaus added, trying to make the moment light again. “Another reason not to feel bad.” He smiled and Luther tried to copy it weakly.

A minute later they were at their stop, and the conversation was broken off again as Klaus excitedly tracked down the busker they could hear playing somewhere down the line. Because, as Klaus explained, shouting back to Luther who trailed behind, he wanted to be able to tell Vanya about it.

***

When they finally walked through the door, Klaus and Luther were immediately met with a swarm of their siblings, who demanded to know where they’d been and if they were ok. Five seemed particularly convinced that one of his former colleagues had attacked them, and was only barely talk out of holding a formal interrogation. Eventually, Luther managed to get them to settle down, but no one seemed entirely convinced of the story that they’d been talking and simply lost track of the time.

Klaus managed to shake off a worried Diego with the excuse that he wanted to take a bath and headed upstairs before he had to answer any more questions.  After he was gone, the rest of the siblings slowly began to drift off to their various rooms and work, still looking doubtful, but unable to find any obvious harm to Klaus or Luther. Before Allison could leave, Luther pulled her aside, saying, “I need to talk to you about something.”

***

Once they realized what to look for, it was incredibly easy to figure out when Klaus was going to meetings. It hardly took the full detective skills of the Umbrella Academy to recognize the pattern of Klaus being “out” from six to eight every Tuesday and Thursday. Diego didn’t even need to tail him, which, as Vanya pointed out, might have sent the wrong message about trust if Klaus had realized he was being followed.

Within two weeks, they had everything planned. Or at least they had _almost_ everything planned, as they were still arguing about what to say when Klaus walked in, when Klaus, in fact, walked in, without anyone noticing at all.

“Um, guys?” Klaus asked questioningly, frozen in confusion in the doorway of the kitchen.

Everyone’s attention snapped to him and there was a scattered and incredibly out of synch chorus of “Congratulations!” and "Surprise!" Klaus stared.

“You know I’m not pregnant, right?” He pointed at the pink banner that was hung somewhat unevenly across the room. " _Congratulations!"_ it read, with a decorative border of rattles, teddy bears, and baby booties.

Vanya winced, “There was a limited selection at the party supply store.”

“I _told them_ to get the graduation one,” Five told him in a dead-serious response to Klaus’ weak joke, “because you’re graduating from being a drug addict. But Allison said that wasn’t _sensitive_.” He shot her a dirty look. Allison rolled her eyes.

Klaus looked to Luther as he begun to realize what was happening.

“I told them,” Luther admitted quietly. “I’m sorry if I shouldn’t have, but you deserve the recognition, Klaus.”

“We are so proud of you, Klaus,” Vanya said, giving him a watery smile.

“Incredibly,” Diego added.

Klaus looked overwhelmed and slightly embarrassed as the rest of his siblings agreed.  Unused to the positive attention, he slowly came the rest of the way into the kitchen, allowing himself to be pulled into hugs. Ben, made more solid in joy than he ever had been made out of fear, squeezed him tightest of all.

“Good work, Klaus,” Mom added, smiling as she came up to him, carefully balancing an obnoxiously pink cake, which was accented by a generous, if not slightly uneven, border of rainbow sprinkles. “Now blow out your candle.”

Klaus looked down and couldn’t help but laugh at the message perfectly written in swirling icing that read, “ _Happy One Year Sober!_ ” and the single birthday candle that was placed in the middle.

He blew it out amidst cheers.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this extension of Revolving, Evolving! I have been overwhelmed by the wonderful response that I have received for that work and I can only hope that this lives up to expectations. I can not thank you all enough for how lovely my comment section has been. I truly appreciate each and every response, so if you have something you would like to say, please leave it below! I am more than happy to take constructive criticism as well because I don't have any type of beta. Have a wonderful day <3


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